Metropolitan Miami Canals (Broward, Miami-Dade, West Palm counties):
The man-made canals of coastal southeast Florida are part of an extensive, interconnecting network of canals that were primarily constructed in the early 1900's for drainage, flood protection, and water storage purposes. The freshwater canals in the southern section (Cypress Creek Canal and south) are mostly box-cut into a coral rock substrate, more than 10 feet deep with little littoral zone, and have much subsurface water flowing into them. The amount of groundwater flowing into some canals is sufficient enough to dramatically increase water clarity. Canals in the northern section (Hillsboro Canal and north) tend to be shallower, more bowl-shaped, have sugar-sand substrate, and little water ground water intrusion.
These urban canals provide excellent angling for a variety of sportfishes. Largemouth bass and snook roam throughout the tri-county canals and in the southern section, butterfly peacock and tarpon provide anglers an opportunity to complete a canal "trifecta" or "grand slam". The butterfly peacock is a world renowned sportfish that was successfully introduced by the Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission in 1984 to eat undesirable exotic fishes and to provide more sportfishing opportunities for anglers.
* Miami-Dade County: Butterfly peacock can often be found schooling in the fall and this should be a great time for some morning topwater bites. Anglers should watch for butterfly peacock breaking the surface then throw a Husky Jerk Bait, Heddon Torpedo, or small (3 inch) floating, gold or silver Rapala for some fast action. In the afternoon or if you lose the school, try switching to subsurface lures such as Rapalas, Rat-L-Traps, and Pro Traps for continued success.
Largemouth bass fishing should improve as the water temperature cools off and they can also be found schooling in the morning. The same lures will catch butterfly peacock and largemouth bass and if anglers see some surface action, they should cast close to the school. If a largemouth doesn’t hit, then reel in quickly with some good rod action and a butterfly peacock may! Soft plastics like Bass Assassin, Flappin Shad, or Flukes in watermelon or salt-and-pepper are all effective largemouth bass baits this time of year. Live shiners are a top choice for butterfly peacock and largemouth bass no matter what time of year, especially for inexperienced anglers.
Wigglers or pieces of night crawler fished under a bobber are an excellent way to catch bluegill, redear sunfish, Mayan cichlid, and oscar in urban Miami-Dade canals. Small Rapalas, Roostertails, and beetle spins are also effective lures for bream fishing. Anglers may want to try Parkline (L-31W), Cutler Drain (C-100), and Snake Creek (C-9) canals for some great fall angling opportunities.
Broward County: Cooling temperatures should
improve the largemouth bass bite and make it a more pleasant time to fish.
Rapalas in gold/black or silver/black fished early in the morning are a good bet
for some fast action. If the bite slows down or you start fishing later in the
day, you may want to try 8-10 inch rubber worms in black or red shad, 4-6 inch
lizards in watermelon seed or cotton candy, or watermelon seed colored Flukes.
Freshwater Fishing Piers |
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Northwest Region | North Central Region | Northeast Region | Southwest Region | South Region The table below the map lists all of the fishing piers in this region by county and water body. It also indicates the agency that manages the site, whether it is barrier free (handicapped accessible), has restrooms nearby and has fish attractors within casting distance of the pier.
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